Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-03-31
WHEN He WAS POOR.
An AnecdOte of General Master
Workman Powderly.
From The Phst1deEphin Ne,os.

AN AneCOoCe OF General Master
Workman Powderly.
From the Philadelphia Ne,os.
WILkESBARRE, March 20. - Fifteen
years ago, when General Master Work
man Powderly was a common, everyday
mechanic, passing by the great coal
kings and corporation princes of scran-
| ton in his overalls on his way 10 and
from the shop where he was employed,
with his bright dinner pail swinging by
his side, 1t isn't likely that he ever
dreamed. that In so short time he would
| 0s where he is TODAY
the acknowledged head of an
organization comprising over a million of
Worklngmen. He was always reserved,
and fought clear of those alliances that
demanded his tentiOn after work hours,
and whose objects were not especially
| elevating. He read great deal at might,
but never showed any more remark BILE
| powers than those of the ordinary me-
| chanic. In fact, he was not nearly as
| well known even in the shop as many
who were tond Of talking and were gem
eral leaders in the debates of the hour.
DAN CAMPBELL's STORY.
Among those who remem bered these
! quiet concomitanJs OF PowdeIly's charac-
ter in those days, is Mr.. Campbell, or, as
everybody calls him, Dan Campbell, now
| the President OF the G. T. A. Union, OF
| Scranton, and prominent merchant Of
| that city. He tells good many stories
about Terry" Powderly, one of which is
! quite interesting in the light OF recent
| events. Dan says that along back Ia
1872 he was President of the st. Columb-
Kill Debating Society of Scranton, which
was largely made up of shopmen. 1t was
big organization for those days, and
he couldn't keep track of all
the men who Joined. Their meetings
were always well attended and were
never uninteresting. One of the rules of
the society was that any man called ON to
| sp, ak upon any question under debate
was bound to say something, One night
somebody sent up to MIN slip OF paper
| on which the name of Powderly was writ
ten. He understood this to be an intima-
ton that the owner OF that name was to
be called to speak upon the pending ques-
tlon. When the opportunity presented
itself he called MIR. Powderly's name.
The culprit sat way back in one corner
of the big room, and it was some time be-
fore ne could be found and forced for
ward.
WAS IT JOKE.
When be stood at last upon the plat
form, looking into the sea OF faces before
him, his heart quivered and finally quail
ed. He couldn't say a word. The cries
of "Go on" seemed only to dlsconcert him
the more, and in sheer desperation he
looked about him for some avenue of
escape. But none was presented, and at
last President Cambeil reminded him
that, under the rules, he would have to
say something, if he didn't utter more
than twenty words. POwderly opened
his mouth and spoke exactly twenty one
words. He then rushed nervously from
NE,.~ I..kr nxaA -
and mind in the farthest corner of the
room.
Some time afterward Mr.. Campbell said
man came to him TO ascertain some
thing about POwderly. "Powderly," said
Dan, why who's Powderly? l don't
know such man." Then the other re-
called to his memory the incident OF the
evening when POwderly banked so at the
meeting of the st. COlumbkill Society
Campbell remem bered him then, but in
formed his interrogation that he didn't
know anything about The man particu,
larly and couldn't reply to his Question.
THE OLD TIMES AND THE NEW.
Gust think" said MIR. Campbell the
other night, "what changes take place in
men and their conditions. 1t wasn't
many years after the event alluded 10
inst men gathered about Terry Powderly
with open eyes and open NOUNS 20 learn
wisdom from his lips. have always felt
vexed at myself because l couldn't read
something of the future honors that were
TO come to Terry in his face the night ]
almost sullenly commanded him TO spit
out twenty words. 1t makes me
mad every time l think OF
1t, and I've told Powderly so
| dozen times. But he only laughs
| and says: That's all right i came to
| know him thoroughly afterward, you can
rest assured, and today we are the thick
| est OF friends. Why, at the big temper
ance rally at Drifton in January last
| everyb body wanted to hear Powderly. The
committees had written him beseeching
him to be present, but he replied that he
WIS 80 overrun with work that he was
| Obliged to decline. When l got down to
Drifton found 5000 or 5000 people gath
| cred In Eckley Il. Coxe's big hall that he
| built expressly for the use OF his men.
| They all wanted to hear and
| see the General Master Work
man, who belonged to their temper
| ance order also, so that / went up to the
! telegra III office and sent off these words
You must come tonight and a reply
| came back, L will,' and In his speech
| that night he said that ne had made q
| great sacrifice. He saw no way OF CON-
| ing until he goL Dan CampbelPs dispatch
and then, said he, Il saw no way OF get.
! ting out OF IT, Pvs always thought that IL
I'D Told Terry POwderly that night, hf3een
years ago, at the society meeting TO talk
an hour ne would have done IL, and l be-
lleve he would have surprised us as much